Under the first edition of the “Africa Visitors Programme” – a project organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, in collaboration with the Carolina Foundation, entrepreneurs and senior officials from Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda – six young leaders from the African business sector travelled to Spain this week to hold meetings with Spanish business owners and authorities operating in economic and trade sectors.
The guest participants, who inaugurated this “Africa Visitors Programme”, stand out for the positions of leadership they hold in the economic and business sectors in their respective countries, which receive priority treatment under the 3rd Africa Plan and the Focus on Africa 2023 plan. This strategic document highlights the association with the African continent as its goal, in order to boost trade and the Spanish business presence and investment in Africa. The visitors programme also responds to Spain’s commitment to foster and support the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of young people in Africa.
In this first edition, the six young African leaders visited the installations of some of the leading companies in our country – ACS, Airbus, BBVA, Iberdrola and Inditex – and exchanged experiences with their senior management. They also had the chance to meet with senior officials from the Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations (CEOE), the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, the Club de Exportadores [Exporters Club], the Official Credit Institute and the Institute of Foreign Trade.
The young people who participated in the programme due to their entrepreneurial profile also harnessed their stay in Spain to meet with Spanish business owners interested in their activities. The programme was completed with a visit to the city of Toledo, where they held an institutional meeting at the city hall.
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